August 2020

August 2020

Pianos are intricate and precise pieces of equipment designed with finely tuned parts that work together to create wonderful sounds. However, just like any instrument, regular cleanings and maintenance is the key to keeping everything functioning correctly. So, while you might want to put this chore on hold in favor of other household tasks, it’s vital to the longevity of the device that you don’t. These are a few reasons why it’s important to clean your piano.

Slower Deterioration of Parts

Acoustic pianos are very strong and durable devices, but even they are sensitive to a series of environmental conditions. Humidity, specifically, can have drastic and lasting effects on the way your instrument looks and performs. In fact, it can even cause the internal components to rust and lose their flexibility. Regularly cleaning these parts can significantly slow the deterioration process and keep the mechanisms running smoother for a longer time.

Less Frequent Maintenance

Likewise, frequent cleanings can also result in less frequent maintenance for your piano. The more often you wipe it down and address any issues, the lower your chances are of needing to get it professionally fixed. This cuts the overall costs you would need to spend to maintain your instrument and allows you to preserve its value.

A Sleek, Well-Kept Appearance

Additionally, regular cleaning practices allow you to keep your piano looking as gorgeous as the day you bought it. The deep, natural sheen of the finished wood can fade over time as your instrument collects dust from the room around it. Without proper care, this dust can remove the piano’s characteristic shine and begin staining the once beautiful surface. Because of this, it’s highly recommended that you occasionally dust off and clean the piano exterior with a dry or slightly damp cotton cloth, depending on the finish.

Better Overall Performance

Most notably, it’s important to clean your piano because of the way it affects performance. Dirty pianos are often met with sticky keys, off-tune notes, and squeaking peddles. All these occurrences can make the instrument more difficult to use correctly and can hurt the music you’re trying to create. As such, removing extra oil and dirt from the keys, dusting the inner mechanics, and shining the exterior will all contribute to the show you give on your piano.

Piano care is our calling at Chicago Piano Tuners. Whether you need to move your instrument or conduct a few necessary repairs, we’ll be there to provide you with the best possible assistance. Additionally, our affordable piano tuning services will ensure that your piano not only performs at its best but also that your budget remains intact.

Individual Pitches Are Noticeably Sour

One of the most noteworthy indicators that your piano needs tuning is when individual notes begin to sound buzzy or sour. When an acoustic piano is properly tuned, each pitch should sound clear when played by itself. If it begins to sound muddled in any way, this is a sign that the corresponding string has stretched, and the sound it produces has changed.

Tone Harmony Is Off

You should also notice something is off if the overall piano harmony sounds different than before. In a tuned piano, the strings all vibrate at the same rate and mold together to produce a single note. But when some of the strings stretch or expand, the sound they make no longer fits with the ones played around it. This distorts the harmony, which you’re sure to notice in songs you know very well.

It’s Been Several Months Since the Last Tuning

Another telltale sign that your piano is out of tune is that there’s been an extended period between tuning appointments. Pianos are very sensitive to weather changes that occur over the passing months. In fact, they tend to fall out of tune quite easily when exposed to drastic climate, temperature, and pressure fluctuations. Because of this, they should be tuned often to maintain their sound. For brand new pianos, it’s recommended that you tune them about four times in their first year. After that, it should only need tuning every six months, unless it isn’t producing the sound quality you’re after.

At Chicago Piano Tuners, we dedicate ourselves to providing the highest quality maintenance and tuning services in the Chicagoland area. As a professional piano tuning company, we’ve serviced acoustic pianos for over 18 years. This experience has awarded us with a better understanding of this beautiful and complex instrument and how proper maintenance is key to preserving its lifespan.